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Maso strategy with no military.
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I originaly posted this in the anzac thread but thought I would put it here as well. Hope you find it of some help.
Ok, here are some of my maso tips for fellow ANZACers and anyone else. I play a weird sort of game so don't know if it will be any help or not.
First take +2 Speed as a race pick. The leftover points and your party you can pick to suit your style. If I am going for a culture bomb I pick Influence, otherwise I pick Economy or Diplomacy. My party is the one with Social and Military production bonus. (Can't remember the name).
Galaxy type - pick Large/Scattered and probably Uncommon/Common (one of the lower middle ones). Abundant on a first maso game would be too hard. I was a big girls blouse and picked Rare on my first maso.
First part of the game is standard - 100% military, 0% Social, a little bit of research. Spending 100% and Tax on 50%. Set Tax too high and it kills growth.
Do the usual colony rush. With the +2 Speed you will be able to get to planets before the AI. Their colony ships speed is (I think) 2, yours is 4. Depending on the map you should be able to get a similar number of stars as them, maybe a bit less or a bit more.
I only take good/neutral colony random events as if you slip under 50 the Torians/Altarians will come at you.
I also build one scout to find minor civs and resources.
Research is set to Communications.
Ok, this is the wierd bit, which you might not like, but worked for me when I first started. Once the colony rush is over, I set my Military to almost zero and leave it there. I don't build ships or constructors/starbases in the first half of the game!
I leave Military at just abit above zero and set the queue for Constructors. (It will say 200 months to build or something like that).
Research goes to about 75% and Social to about 30%. Tax drops back to 40ish% and spending just enough to keep me out of the red.
Add Soil Enhacement to the queue and start building them.
Should note that you probably won't get any trade goods or wonders in the first quarter of the game as the AI researches and produces too fast. Even Ray said he has trouble building them at the start.
I try for Diplomatic Accelerators but if I can't get it then never mind. When I can get them on occasion it is only via leasing.
You can't keep up with the AI on research, so I don't bother with ANY military techs. I go for the Yellow and Green ones. So Comms/Universal/Diplomacy first so you can change government.
Then Medical and Habitat Improvements (and add that to the queue). Then Manufacturing Plant.
So my build queue is: Soil/Habitat/Banking/Manufacturing.
Ok, you are colonised and defenceless. Hopefully your scout has found some minor civs. More hopefully one of them will have built Diplomatic Accelerators. You won't have enough to get that yet, but later you can.
Start tech trading with the minors.
They like Medical and Habitat and will give you stuff for that. You can play them off each other and get a few more techs. At some stage they will usually have Deflectors and Shields. They will never give you Deflectors, but for some reason, will always trade Shields. You may have to give 3 or more techs for it - but take it.
Then swap your constructor building for Battleaxes. Depending on how high your military slider was, you will churn out a battleaxe on each planet pretty quickly.
During this whole time - keep an eye on the AI relations. If you took all good colony random events, the good civs should be at least neutral. The others are less predictable. If they drop to cool, gift them a tech. You will be researching parts of the tree tey ignore so you will have stuff to give. If they drop to hostile, wet your knickers and run like the wind
You should be researching Nano-Electronics, Nano-Frequency, Zero Gravity (Research Labs), Brain Wave Mapping, Organic Piercing - all the stuff in that part of the tree. I also go for the +10 Trade stuff as well when I can. This part of the tree also lets you build Virtual Reality Modules and other TGs.
You have to keep the relations at least on Cool - hopefully Warm. If they ask you you for heaps of money and you can afford it - them give it to them. If you can't afford it or they ask for a system, say no. Relations will drop a notch. Gift them a good tech and it usually jumps by two and stays there.
They are usually all trading with me (I haven't established any trade routes of my own yet, but you can if you want to) so this helps relations as well.
Also, by now, they are trading with you so money should start dribbling in. Because they are trading and because you have no costly military, you should be able to increase spending and decrease taxes. For this part of the game I have tax on about 25-30%% and spending above 80%. You should have enough by now to get Diplomatic Accelerators so trade for them.
By the first third of the game I have added Economic Exchange to the queue, and also Antimatter and Fusion for planets I want to build TGs and wonders on.
I now pick whoever is strongest. I find my best PQ planet and increase Military Spending. I build constructors and make trade bases at my best planet. I send freighters from there only to the strongest AI and also build trade starbases at their system. You can build some along the way, but I can never be bothered.
So, if you have survived to this point you are building constructors, social projects and researching. (But still no military tech). Your scout should have found most resources which will be taken by an AI. Find ones you want (Economy and Research are the ones I want - and Influence if I am going to culture bomb in the second half of the game or Military if you are going to attack). Park constructors near each resource and bribe the AIs to declare war on each other. If two have an alliance try and get one into a war so they will drag the other in as well. The AI attacks resources and when they do - move your constructor in and take it.
Also park combat transports near each minor planet and set it to sentry. The AI usually attacks them at some point and when they destroy their ships invade them and take their planet before the AI does. (But prepare for you income to drop sharply when you lose their trade).
By this point one of the AIs will trade you Battleship and Dreadnoughts for some tech you have. Don't go to them - they will come to you - you get a better deal that way.
At this point you can start churning out ships and head down the standard war route, or you can keep going peacefully.
If you opt for war, backtrack down the tree and get all the hitpoints and attack/defence techs. Also get the soldier bonus ones as well.
If you opt for peace, then go for Terracomputing and all the +10 research techs. Also get Transporters (and immediately set all planets to build them) and Pain Amplifier and Regenerator tech.
Set your high production planets to build those TGs.
Then go for Terraforming - but make sure your planets have built the essentials before building terraforming as this is a time consuming project.
If you go for a culture bomb - then research Propoganda Machine, Party Palaces, and Cultural Maximisers. When you want to build culture starbases make fleets of 7 constructors. Send them to an adjacent sector and build up to Party Palace plus Maximiser. If you have two or three Influence resoureces fully loaded with a starbase, plus the Influence pick - then 5 or 6 of these fleets in an adjacent sector can flip a system - sometimes more, sometimes less.
My last game I did this, and never built anything ships beyond one battleaxe per system.
Also if I saw an AI at war and down to one or two planets, I kept a transport in the next sector as close to the system as possible. When the other AI destroyed their ships I moved my transport in. With the +2 Speed you can get there in one turn. I have to use mini-soldiers with major AI to invade, but don't usual need anything with minors.
Whenever you invade a minor another will pop up at some point. Find them, give them all your trade goods for as much money as possible, and park a transport there. The AI usually attacks at some point - so on sentry focus will switch to the transport as soon as it detects a ship. Invade the minor before the AI does.
That's it. All the above doesn't always work. Because you have no military at the start - you are vunerable. I have had the yellow and red guys next door to me at the start of a game, and they are to volatile (no matter how man gifts I give) to deal with and I usually lose. Bugger.
A couple of games, the Dregnin were dominant by the mid-game and they are harder to keep on your good side if you have no military. I was having to gift them every couple of turns and it still wasn't working, so I switched all my planets to Anti-matter missles. This built up my attack rating very quickly and they left me alone after that, until I was ready to attack them.
I haven't tried the above on small/tiny. For those games I rush to Corvettes and attack. But only played a couple of those.
With the above you can usually get every TG and wonder apart from the early ones. You get the Tri-quan thingo which helps with invasions. You get nano-recorder, hyper computers, galatic guide book, historical preserve, terraformer, etc.
The main thing to remember is
- use speed to grab planets at the start
- don't bother with starbases and ships at the start
- research the green techs (and to a lesser extent
the yellow ones) as they ignore them.
- tech trade with minors as much as possible.
- use gifts to keep the AIs onside
- use bribes to get them to fight each other
- keep constructor near resources and wait for them
to be destroyed and grab them
- pick the strongest AI and send all your freighters
there (and build trade bases)
- culture bombs with fleets of 7
- don't build capitol ships unless you are going to
attack soon.
Hope this all helps a bit.
         
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Thanx Jeff,
I have played a similar strategy to this -- but I can't set military to 0!!! I won a huge maso 1.05 that way, lost one ship total!
My little tigbit is build small fleets of dreads and park them next to a resources that you don't own but have a constructor nearby, watch the treaty screen and give them to whoever's at war with the owner. Rarely works, but keeps them a) really happy, and b) at war with each other. Once in a while they just pummle that starbase *wicked lear*
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Heck, I build freighters in stacks of 10 and park them as far away as I can. Thet way when I go to war with my trading partner I have an instant replacement *grin*
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If you take the diplo advantage and get diplomatic translaters then gifting 1 influence every once in a while will prevent any ai from getting mad at you. Sometimes you don't even need the diplo translators if you can keep up in tech.
 
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Yep, you have to keep them at war with each other, so they can only trade with you. It really helps your diplo rating if you are supporting their whole economy. Not to mention, it really helps your economy. Essex has a good point about the 1 influence gift. I think every time you give a gift, the AI "thinks" about whether he should increase his relations towards you. If you have lots of trade with him, good diplo rating, etc., he might increase the rating. I have had several AIs increase up to Close in the space of a few turns, under the right conditions. Of course, you only really need them at Warm (and at war with another AI) to prevent declaring war on you.
I've also played a few games without building a warship. In fact, when my surveyors find them, I just sell them or use them for bribes. There is no point having any defense if nobody ever attacks you. If you are ever tempted to build a ship, just build constructors and culture-bomb. I don't waste them on trade starbases. I'd rather have the planets! You have to keep remembering to build freighters, since your trade routes are going to disappear as you annex your new planets. Also, don't forget to disband the culture bases that are no longer on the front lines. Especially with 1.10, they are too expensive to maintain if they are no longer doing much good.
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Oh boy - this is a great thread! I should stop in here more often! I'd just like to add my thoughts to the thread. To date, all my maso wins have been without firing a shot, and building ONLY constructors. Here's hoping this helps someone:
How to be a Wombat of Influence
I play on small/tight/ABUNDANT maps. Yep, abundant. Most maso guides call for rare, but I think you need the resources yourself, and you wont be warring with anyone - you'll win as long as you stay out of trouble. Tight clusters allow the dropping of culture bombs in planetless sectors BETWEEN civs - allowing you to take them over without upsetting anyone!
I choose Populists Dip +20/Morale +20 and spend my ten points on straight Dip +60, Influence +30. I set all civs to Pure Evil, to give myself a chance of going Pure Good, although I don't think the 'opposite alignment' bonus is as strong in version 1.1 as in previous versions.
I start with the usual colony rush at 100% spend and 50% tax but often end up only colonising my home sector. I find 4-5 planets enough to form a manufacturing base; I do cntl-N enough to get a yellow star in my home sector in addition to Earth - usually doesn't take too long. Thus, I only end up building 4-5 colony ships and when the 'rush' is over I switch to 100% research.
The task now is to build a manufacturing platform. I research the following:
Comm theory
Univ Trans
Diplomacy
Trade
Med Theory
Propulsion Theory
Cold Fusion
Industrial Theory
Interstellar Refining
Nano-Metal Composition
By this point, I've sent out my Hero and found all the other civs - time to trade techs where possible. Try trading tech and after the trade IMMEDIATELY give one IP while still on that screen - better chance of improving relations (use this trick at ANY time).
I then switch to 100% social and build the following:
Soil Enhancement
Habitat Impr
Manufacturing Centre
Fusion PP
Banking Centre
Research Lab
Entertainment Network
...on EVERY planet. On my highest PQ planet, I build Manufacturing Capital after Fusion PP and when the Man Capital is finished, I switch that planet to building Diplo Translators. I manage to build this myself at least two-thirds of the time. You are way behind in tech at this stage so when you have Diplo Trans (either this way or trading tech for it) stop and think a bit. I throw myself back into 100% research in this way:
Research: Interstellar Business - Interstellar Marketing then stop, switch to 100% social and build the Restr of Eternity (+15% Influence).
Then 100% research: Interstellar Capitalism - Xeno Propaganda, stop and 100% social build the Propaganda Machine (+20% Influence).
Those four techs (and two wonders) alone can win a game by adding 35% to influence. The AIs tend NOT to research these, so now AFTER you've built the wonders you can trade them off for others you want/need. It is likely you will get one, if not both - the AIs tend to go for the Restr, leaving the Prop Machine for you - which is better, it's worth more.
While you're doing this, flip back into the relations screen to grease the palms of those slippery aliens on a regular basis. Yes, you can use the 1 IP bit but you do just as well by trading techs and also by accepting INFLUENCE points yourself as payment. Trust me, try trading techs sometimes JUST for IP payment - the relation screen becomes easier. At times, you will need to accede to requests for money/free techs to stay out of war. YOU MUST STAY OUT OF WAR. I have never been able to bribe a civ OUT of war against me at maso level no matter WHAT I offered. Give them whatever it takes to keep your nose clean - you'll get it back from them, with interest. If you're trading for techs, look ahead to try and trade for those that give you the influence and diplomacy boots you need, or failing that look to boost your production, population and morale. High populations drive your economy and high morale boosts your population. I'll often add - Harmony Generator, Anti-matter PP, stock market, economic exchange, stadium, and perhaps eventually galactic research centre to the general build queue; other planets build these things while my primary producer builds wonders and trade goods. I'll occasionally have a little catch up social build phase during the mid game. All through the game I'm monitoring morale, spending etc as any player would.
Your next task is the 100% research drive to Cultural Maximising, which lets your constructors build the makings of party palaces. You can trade this off for other techs/influence to then focus on this sequence:
Zero Grav Research
Brain Wave Mapping
Nano-Electronics
Nano-Freq Electronics
Terra - Hyper - Omni Computers
Interspecies Philosophy
You will probably be able to trade for at least the first four of those with the techs you've already researched. You may need to hunker down and research the others personally - they lead you to the next research signpost: Cultural Conquest.
This is the point at which you have the win in clear sight. You can immediately switch to 100% social build and get the Hyper-Distribution Centre (+33% to Influence) and it is surprising how often you can be the first to reach this point, even when the AIs have Avatar technology - they just aren't interested in this stuff. I am rarely able to get Galactic Exhibition or Monument, as they DO seem to chase those ones early, and Historical Preserve requires a LOT of techs and I am usually too far behind in tech at to get there first at that stage.
From here, switch to 100% military and crank out waves of constructors. They go best in 7-packs (thanks for this research Maxtipherous) which allow you to create a starbase of (Party Palace + Cult Max). I usually need 4-5 such starbases in an empty sector adjacent to as MANY other worlds as possible. This is where a small map and tight clusters makes life easy. Bomb them into submission and have a look at the overall situation - you should be in complete control, and can then decide to go back and fill in other research if you want to, or just send your X-packs to the relevant sector and flip the lot of them.
You can embellish this as much as you wish; after Cultural Conquest try resarching or trading for:
Organic Piercing
Genetic Mapping
Molecular Medicine
Regeneration
...which will let you build Pain Amplifiers (+20 Influence). I definately prioritise WONDERS over TRADE GOODS, however. Once your influence is high, you should have little trouble in the latter stages staying out of war. Go back and get all those 'yellow' techs that add to your Diplo rating - every bit helps. I'd also agree with previous posters that using your techs to send civs to war with each other can be a very important part of an influence win - keep em busy, off your back, and using up THEIR precious resources. Trade is the other factor that keeps you alive in terms of spending - trade techs for freighters; they appear right next to the AIs planets and you can dock them next turn for income.
Anyway, hope this gives people something extra to consider when planning their approach! Cheers!
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Wombat you have a very similar play style to my own. It works on any size map in fact. I am surprised you are able to get diplo translators that late though. Usually a minor grabs em in my games if I don't go for them early and then I just trade for them.
The truth is though that all the wonders and trade goods and other influence things are just gravy. 4 or 5 Culture SB's in a sector will flip all planets in adjacent sectors pretty quick no matter what other influence you have. As such I don't usually use any picks for extra influence. I like to go with 50 diplo and +5 PQ for small and medium maps and +1 speed for lareger maps.
Trading techs for influence to improve relations is something I'll have to try out. Thanks 
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Thanks Wild Wombat. I recognize the GCCG in setting up the manufacturing base and social infrastructure. 
 
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Essex99 - in some ways I think you're right; if you just bury them in starbases you'd win eventually. My understanding is that at maso the AIs get a 50% influence bonus and in my first few games I found myself having my planets flipped early and my home sector influence overturned. This kills you when you don't have many planets on a small map to start with. Thus, I recrafted my strategy to get early influence wonders to KEEP my home sector blue. Getting them also makes the latter game more efficient (ie needing less starbases to flip opponents) and you can turn back to tech or in other directions as you wish.
Grabbing Diplo Trans is interesting - I think a LOT depends on the relative start the AIs get. We talk about Cntl-N until getting a decent starting spot, but that works in the AIs favour, too. I have got into games where I eventually discover the AI is lucky enough to have colonised, say, two adjacent sectors, EACH with 3-4 planets. If they get this good a start, they'll come gunning for you, no matter what. Try as I might, there are (thankfully infrequent) times I just have to throw a game away and start again at maso level.
ric - yep, the early development phase contains the GCCG heritage. I still think that was very nicely worked out by EBZ and it taught me a lot about the tech tree - basically that you should try and know the tech tree like the back of your hand and really plan your path in detail. When you've got a clear path, it becomes easier to adjust on-the-fly if something unusual strikes.
Jexal - I didn't think you were criticising, and your comments are interesting! I must say I agree with LDiCesare at maso level - I have tried to bribe civs to END a war with me and never been successful. I am usually not in a position to offer planets as tribute to end a war, but if I did that it would usually put me in a terminal position anyway. As stated, often giving all you have is not enough. I'm also not quite sure what you mean in your last post - an ally is not likely to declare war on you?
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| ric - yep, the early development phase contains the GCCG heritage. I still think that was very nicely worked out by EBZ and it taught me a lot about the tech tree - basically that you should try and know the tech tree like the back of your hand and really plan your path in detail. When you've got a clear path, it becomes easier to adjust on-the-fly if something unusual strikes. |
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OK, I'll bite. What's GCCG and who is/was EBZ and what thread might I look at for this discussion?
 
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EBZ posted a preliminary strategy thread on post #1106 of the GROSS thread on 7/3/03 that is probably still there. His Gal Civ Cranking Guide was more sophisticated but is no longer on the site. I downloaded it on August 14 so that gives you some time frame. It was for cranking out (speed) on beginner games. The anomalous scores for bankrupting the AI at low difficulty levels and the recent scoring upgrade for maso put a damper on certain parts of the GCCG but other parts remain very useful.
Wild Wombat, a disciple of EBZ, has upgraded the part that is applicable to maso above (and did a nice job there, Mr. Wombat). The approach to the manufacturing base and social infrastructure are methods that Mr. Wombat and I both learned from EBZ and still use on maso level.
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Thanks for the clarification. After getting familiar with the maso threads I'm past the stage for a beginner's guide (though I've probably forgotten some fundamentals along the way...if ever I knew them!) As you noted, some of the old advice is dated due to changes from the patches or changes in the state of the art. [No doubt I'll get my head handed to me in my next maso game after "vacationing" at mere Painful difficulty.] -- HtL
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...and now I'll *really* get kicked around after slumming at Beginner. I went back to that EBZ strat message and decided to try it out, more or less as mind candy (compared to maso). Of course I had to fool around with his recipe (as any self-respecting cook would do), so I took less speed and +1 PQ, and never disbanded my starting scout, and I think I avoided selling diplo techs (making my advantage even more lopsided).
I don't think I ever had a tech sale for more than 100x50 (well, maybe once fleecing a new minor), but EBZ's strat still forced every major and minor to go broke.
EBZ wrote: | "During late game I have found that planets will defect to me, on a massive galactic scale, and that I cannot research the full tech tree because the majors defect too quickly (but I do get close). |
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Well, I didn't get very close at all, because I was impure and strayed far from EBZ's dogma. I built freighters and even culture bombs, so the game ended with a much earlier influence juggernaut.
EBZ also wrote: "Under this strategy I can finish a game in less than one hour." HAH! Not Admiral Glacier, here! I must have taken ten hours...but some fraction of that was due to managing constructors and starbases, which are no part of EBZ's strat (in that message).
Well, thanks for explaining, and I had fun, though I'm embarassed to have posted a "Beginner" win at this stage in my career. [Hmm...no blushing smiley; we should have one like they do at Apolyton.]
-- HtL (Admiral Glacier)
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